25 March 2013

 S4C is working with BBC Cymru Wales to bring a new drama series which will be available to watch only on the S4C website.

The producers of Pobol y Cwm, BBC Cymru Wales, are breaking new ground with an innovative multi-platform online series PyC.

Although PyC is based on some of the characters from the popular soap opera, the stories are more edgy and it offers a different experience.

The aim of the project is to appeal to young adults and the writers are looking at different ways of telling a story. They are standalone stories which don’t impact on the flow of the television series, Pobol y Cwm.

On the PYC website - s4c.co.uk/pyc - a short nightly episode will be published at 9 o’clock, April 8-12. The website will be launched on 2 April.

Viewers will have an opportunity to follow the highs and the lows of the characters on Twitter - @s4cPyc - and will be able to discuss the stories with each other on Facebook.

Siân Gwynedd, BBC Cymru Wales’ Head of Welsh Language Programmes and Services said, “This project has been developed jointly with S4C and we’re confident that the multi-platform content will appeal to new audiences. Pobol y Cwm is one of our most popular dramas so it’s important that we continue to look at new ways of extending the series’ appeal – and to be at the forefront of experimentation with creative story telling techniques.”

PYC is produced by Hannah Thomas, who’s very experienced in the multi-platform world. She produced Becoming Human for Touchpaper and the BBC, which was nominated for an award in the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, Canada.

Hannah said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to go under the skin of some of our main characters and to introduce some new, fresh ones. PYC has also offered us an opportunity to develop new talent both in front of and behind the camera.”

Dafydd Rhys, S4C’s Director of Content said, “We're proud to work with BBC Cymru Wales to provide a platform for PyC on our website and offer our viewers a new experience. PyC exploits popular technology to expand S4C's provision beyond the TV set – something we're aiming to do more of, where appropriate, as viewing habits turn increasingly towards the web and new technology.”

Ends